The First Legendary Beast Master

Chapter 2028 Legendary Arena Perks

The dinner show ended without any major incidents, but with quite a few additional trade deals in the works.

Everyone wanted to get a piece of what the Darklight Host was producing, even if it was just to try to monopolize the workers so that their competition couldn't get as much as they wanted and steal customers.

That was the most important part to the vast majority of the Clans.

Keeping their customer base when a new crafting Guild appeared was always difficult. They might be able to get them back when that new stock vanished, but before that, they would suffer.

The issue that everyone saw was the sheer size of the Darklight Host.

They had too many craftsmen, in too many disciplines, and too many powerful backers for them to vanish quickly. If they held out for decades, it would crush the other merchant groups in the region, who survived on small production independent craftsmen, or the crafting division of their own trade Clans.

The New Home made most of what they sold, but still relied heavily on trade to keep things running within the Clan. The Darklight Host took in raw materials, but they didn't seem to have any need for outside gear, as they had no ambitions to be a merchant Clan, and simply opened shops to sell their products to the merchants who came to them.

And if you didn't come to them, you would have to pay the markup from the ones who did.

Karl's table at the show had been all from Merchant Clans, eager to make deals, but more eager to try to cut the Blue Elves out. The Elves had a reputation for piracy and sabotage that made them an enemy to nearly every Clan Leader with a port.

But somehow they always had the good stuff, and that meant that every port that wasn't run by a Trade Clan loved them.

Having both the New Home and the Darklight Host along the peninsula willing to work with them meant that the Blue Elves now had access to half the shoreline's resources, and all of the highest quality goods.

If that didn't stop, they were going to send all the good stuff to auction, and the auction houses would cut the merchant Clans out of the coastal trade regions.

But Karl hadn't been willing to make any deals that excluded customers, insisting that their money was as good as anyone's and that if you wanted them blacklisted, you needed to be able to do it yourself.

It was brutal logic, but if you couldn't force the Darklight Host to comply, that was really your only option.

And the market houses loved the Blue Elves.

They didn't care if the loot was stolen, or if some random trade ship was sunk. What they cared about was that the items came to them for auction.

Immortals died all the time moving between cities, or on pilgrimages to gain power. Why would they care about strangers who took a risk and lost the bet? That was what trade was in this world. A wager that you were strong enough to be able to complete the trip and make a profit.

One of the Elders followed Karl out after dinner, looking for a private conversation.

"Might I speak with you for a moment about your agreement with the Yizimon Clan? My Clan also has a mining type dungeon among our controlled resources," he began.

Karl smiled. "Oh, that is wonderful news. We're always in need of rare resources for higher grade items. Please, follow me to the Guild House and we can speak privately."

The two sat down in the back room, where a bunny brought them milkshakes, much to the Clan Leader's confusion.

"It's a new flavour that they are trying. We consider it an honour to get to taste test for the Divine Cooks."

The Clan Leader nodded, and then took a sip. His eyes opened in shock at the flavour, and he smiled at the bunny.

"Is this butterscotch ripple schnapps?"

The bunny nodded eagerly. "Not schnapps, it's butter rum with walnuts and spices. Do you like it? We're thinking of adding it to the bar menu at the arena."

"The bar menu?"

"Well, there are about four ounces of rum in that milkshake."

The Clan Leader laughed. The thought of a bunch of Elders getting absolutely annihilated on milkshakes while watching fights at the arena might be the funniest thing that he had heard today.

"I think it will be an amazing option. You may wish to reduce the amount of rum if you're serving it at a sporting event, but the flavour is immaculate."

The bunny nodded and made a note. "Thank you for the input. I have a nonalcoholic option for you to test as well. Blueberry watermelon slush. Both are new varieties that we are growing in a separate space, and the hybrid fruits have a small buff effect."

The man put his milkshake down and took a sip of the slushy drink.

Instantly, the fatigue, lingering intoxication, and stress of a high difficulty dungeon faded from his mind.

"That's not a beverage, it's a potion in crushed ice," he gasped.

The bunny giggled and clapped. "Wonderful, that's the response that we were hoping for. Now, we can charge more for it at the stadium."

The Clan Leader put the drink down and rubbed his temples, which concerned the bunny.

"Is the effect fading already? That's not good. It should last longer."

The man shook his head, and Karl patted her on the back. "No, it's your response that caused that reaction. The thought of serving potions as beverages at the arena was too much for him."

The bunny shrugged. "The only ingredients are fruits, and we're growing them in the garden, so it should be fine to sell it cheaper than a real potion. But we can sell it for more than a regular drink, since it gives a bonus effect.

Do you think that we should put them in travel cups to start with?"

"Definitely with a lid. Many people are going to want to take some of their drink to go."

"Got it. I will have Cara add the drink to the menu. Lady Oak is testing the peach flavour."